Sunday, February 2, 2025

THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

(Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40)

Today’s Feast of the Presentation of the Lord gives us a last opportunity to meditate in common on the Incarnation before beginning the Lenten penitential season.   Its gospel highlights three significant actions. First, it places Jesus, the Son of God, in the Temple, the appropriate place for the encounter between God and humans. Second, it presents Jesus as the light of the nations, that is, the world’s guide to righteous living. And third, it hints at the death Jesus will undergo for the salvation of all. However, in several countries more emphasis is placed on the Memorial of St. Blaise, the following day, than on the Presentation. Let us try to correct this negligence now.

The Holy Family enters the Temple on the fortieth day after Jesus’ birth. The Book of Leviticus specifies that this length of time passes before the rite of purification of the mother is performed. The gospel adds this little note about purification to its main theme, the redemption of the infant Jesus. According to the Book of Exodus every firstborn male is to be dedicated to God and then redeemed. By showing Mary and Joseph fulfilling the details of the Law, the evangelist Luke demonstrates that Jesus was raised a faithful Jew and that Judaism is integral to the meaning of his life.

A poet once wrote: “How odd of God to choose the Jews.”  It may have been odd, but the fact is that He did so with instructions to build a Temple where sacrifices could be made for the forgiveness of sins. In today’s gospel the Son of God enters the Temple to take possession of it as his own. In time he will replace it with his own body. Then, forgiveness of sins will be achieved by participation in the sacrifice of his Body and Blood on the cross. Of course, this is the reason why we gather every Sunday for Mass.

In the Temple Mary and Joseph meet the holy and righteous Simeon. The reading specifies that the Holy Spirit, who can verify his words, is upon him. Taking the child Jesus in his arms, Simeon thanks the Lord for allowing him to live until this moment. Then he makes a prophecy of immense importance. First, he calls Jesus the “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” This means that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise first to Abraham, then to all Israel that one of their number will show the whole world the ways of God. As the prophet Isaiah predicted, Jesus will teach the nations to “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

The second part of Simeon’s prophecy has to do with his own people. He says that Jesus will be the cause “for the ruin and rise of many in Israel.” Light makes it possible to distinguish good deeds from bad ones. First Israel and then the rest of the world will be judged by this light. Even Jesus’ mother is not excluded from this judgment. This is a matter commonly misunderstood. Mary deserves praise not because she nursed Jesus, but because she was the first in the gospel to meditate on God’s word and to put it into practice.

Finally, Simeon’s prophecy contains a note of foreboding. He says that Jesus will “be a sign that will be contradicted.” He has in mind the opposition that Jesus will encounter when he returns to the Temple as an adult. The religious leaders will not be able to bear to see him conquer the minds and hearts of the people. They will conspire with the Roman authority to put him to death. His sacrifice will free people from sin as the holy woman indicates at the end of the reading.

Hopefully we can now appreciate the Incarnation more clearly. God has prepared for the coming of his Son into the world throughout the history of Israel. When he finally arrives, he establishes himself in the Temple as a teacher of God’s ways to the world. Finally, the people of Israel, and in time the entire world, are divided into two camps -- those who accept him and abide by his teachings and those who reject him to the extent of arranging his death. Those who reject those teachings will fall into ruin while those who accept them will rise to glory.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Memorial of Saint John Bosco, priest

(Hebrews 10:32-39; Mark 426-34)

Today’s reading from Hebrews speaks of youthful enthusiasm about one’s faith, followed by doubts and thoughts of abandonment.  The author pleas with the people to resist such temptations.  He names for them the sacrifices already made and assures them that withdrawal will mean the loss of great return on their investment.

We can see in the life of St. John Bosco an example of what the Letter to the Hebrews teaches.  After his ordination to the priesthood, the saint was introduced to the wealthy patrons and given a position as chaplain of a hospice for working girls.  However, Bosco did not abandon his desire to serve Christ by helping destitute boys.  He resigned from the chaplaincy and established a hospice and technical school for boys.  He also organized a congregation of priests to work with him in providing such services.  After his death, forty thousand people participated in his funeral.

We too might feel tremors of faith at times and wonder if it is worth the effort to live the gospel.  When these temptations arise, let us remember the plea of the Letter to the Hebrews and the lives of saints like John Bosco. 

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:19-25; Mark 4:21-25)

The man identified himself as Catholic, but he asked a question that comes from another religious tradition. “Do you believe in karma?” he said.  “What is that?” was the reply.  The man explained that karma is the teaching that one receives back what he or she gives ay.  If she does good, good things will happen to her.  If he does evil, then he will be punished in some way. Is this what Jesus is driving at in today’s gospel?

Jesus promises, “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.”  It sounds like karma, but it goes beyond a simple tit-for-tat.  Jesus means that those who give of themselves in love like he does will experience eternal life – the “more” in his assertion.

When we respond to injury with care – maybe in the form of a prayer for our malefactor – we align ourselves with Jesus.  He is the light that illumines our lives now and will not dim as we enter the darkness of death.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:11-18; Mark 4:1-20)

Much has been said this last month about presidential pardons.  People may be perplexed about the pardon the retiring president made for crimes not only already prosecuted but also for crimes not prosecuted yet.  Whatever the possibility of this outcome in civil society, it is what Christ’s sacrifice on the cross accomplished.  This is today’s message from the Letter to the Hebrews.

The Letter speaks of Christ’s one offering for sins making “perfect forever those who are being consecrated.”  It is referring to the death of Jesus on the cross justifying those who give themselves over to him in Baptism.  Their sins are forgiven as they recognize themselves as guilty of sin.  This takes place in Baptism and also in the Sacrament of Penance.  In the latter post-Baptismal men and women recognize themselves as having betrayed or at least having compromised their consecration to Christ.

It’s not easy these days to confess one’s sins.  It is to acknowledge weakness and corruption in a world that vaunts strength and beauty.  Yet we must realize that in doing so, Christ is not only forgiving but also perfecting us.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

 Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest

(Hebrews qo:1-10; Mark 4:31-35)

Saint Thomas Aquinas was born exactly 800 hundred years ago. He was a person of genius with few equals in history. He also had a rare holiness. What made him a treasure for the Church more precious than Google stock was his way of combining natural talent with supernatural gift. His intellectual reflection on his religious experience resulted in the most comprehensive, systematic and profound understanding of God and His ways in history.

With a voracious appetite for all kinds of knowledge, Thomas read constantly. It is said that he knew everything there was to know in his time. He used this vast knowledge in the production of his own writings which were similarly prodigious. He wrote numerous commentaries on philosophers and theologians and on themes and issues debated in his time. He wrote prayers, liturgical works, and numerous sermons. Of course, his most famous and still widely read book is the Summa Theologica.

His fame as a theologian did not inflate his self-thinking. He remained throughout his career a humble, obedient, and holy friar. In the debates between theologians, which were often quite contentious, Thomas always remained calm. His biographer claims that Thomas never insulted anyone with his words. He celebrated Mass every day and usually heard a second Mass.

Perhaps most indicative of his fusion of intelligence and holiness was his habit of preparing for scholarly work with extensive prayer. Before studying, engaging in intellectual dispute, teaching, writing, or dictating, Thomas withdrew into silent prayer. With the shedding of many tears he asked the Lord to grant him insight into the subject.

Pope St. Pius V named Thomas “Doctor of the Church” in the exclusive company of the four ancient doctors of the West and of the East. He deserved the honor both for his treatment of theological subjects with subtlety and depth and for his defense of orthodoxy. Pope Benedict XVI said that Thomas was known as the “angelic doctor” for both “the sublimity of his thought and the purity of his life.”

 

Monday, January 27, 2025

Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 9:15.24-28; Mark 3:22-30)

The question of an unpardonable sin has drawn much interest and differing opinions.  Some say the unforgiveable sin is suicide because one dies before pardon can be sought.  But it is not difficult to imagine a case when one self-inflicts a fatal wound and then repents before the injury takes its toll.

Some scholars say with good basis that every sin is pardonable and can be forgiven.  If this is the case, the unpardonable sin of today’s gospel is not seeking forgiveness.  The “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” mentioned in the reading involves attributing to Satan himself the power to cast out another demon.  It denies the work of the Spirit done by Jesus.

The Church offers us regular opportunity at mass to recognize our sins and seek forgiveness.  We should also do so every day, preferably at bedtime.  Such a habit may provide us with more restful sleep.

 

Sunday, January 27, 2025

Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 9:15.24-28; Mark 3:22-30)

The question of an unpardonable sin has drawn much interest and differing opinions.  Some say the unforgiveable sin is suicide because one dies before pardon can be sought.  But it is not difficult to imagine a case when one self-inflicts a fatal wound and then repents before the injury takes its toll.

Some scholars say with good basis that every sin is pardonable and can be forgiven.  If this is the case, the unpardonable sin of today’s gospel is not seeking forgiveness.  The “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” mentioned in the reading involves attributing to Satan himself the power to cast out another demon.  It denies the work of the Spirit done by Jesus.

The Church offers us regular opportunity at mass to recognize our sins and seek forgiveness.  We should also do so every day, preferably at bedtime.  Such a habit may provide us with more restful sleep.

 

Sunday, January 26, 2025

 THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

(Nehemiah 8:2-4.5-6.8-10; I Corinthians12:12-14.27; Luke 1:1-4.4:14-21)

We have been reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke on Sundays for almost two months. Today we receive an introduction to the work. It comes in two forms. First, there is the prologue that Luke himself wrote for his readers. Second, Jesus reveals the program of his ministry as a kind of inaugural address. By reflecting well on these passages, we will better understand most of the Sunday gospels until December.

We know nothing for certain about the author. He never identifies himself in this work or in the Acts of the Apostles that he wrote as a sequel. We call him “Luke” because of references to the gospel at the end of the second century. His name does not really matter. What matters to us is that in the prologue the evangelist explains his motive for writing the gospel and his methods of doing so.

Evidently, there were many sayings of Jesus, stories of his works, even accounts of his life as Luke prepared to write the gospel. However, nothing was complete nor well expressed. Thus, he says in the prologue that he wants to produce an orderly account of Jesus’ life from the announcement of his coming to his return to the Father in heaven.

Luke calls his reader “Theophilus,” but who this is is not known either. Indeed, it could be all people of good will since the Greek name means “lover of God.” Whether for him or them, Luke says that he has researched the relevant documents and conducted interviews with eyewitnesses to produce his account.

We meet Jesus in the gospel today in Galilee, the territory of his upbringing. He is there not simply of his own free will but “impelled by the Holy Spirit.” Luke emphasizes the Holy Spirit both in the Acts of the Apostles and in the gospel by describing him as the animator of much of the action. In Galilee, according to the passage, Jesus has had great success as a teacher.

Luke goes on to relate what happens when Jesus arrives in Nazareth. It is Saturday, and like all observant Jews Jesus goes to the synagogue. There he is handed a scroll of Scripture as would be done to any teacher at the time. He then reads from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. These are the first words Jesus speaks as an adult in the gospel.

The reading proclaims that the prophet himself has been anointed by the Holy Spirit. This is no small claim. He is testifying that he is the long-awaited Messiah of God who will bring glory to Israel while enlightening the nations with the ways of the Lord. Commissioned by the Spirit, he is mandated to announce good news to the poor, give sight to the blind and freedom to the captives, and proclaim a year of favor to the world. One can interpret this agenda for our time as follows. The anointed one will raise the hopes of those who are deprived of material resources. In addition, he will open the eyes of those who do not see God as their Father nor other people as their brothers and sisters. Also, he will free those held captive by drugs, alcohol, sex, and other false friends. Lastly, but also importantly, he will tell everyone of God's favor toward them.

Once the reading is over, Jesus speaks revealing words of his own. He says, “Today this passage has been fulfilled…” He is declaring two things of immense importance. First, he identifies himself as the Messiah who has finally come to fulfill the hopes of the poor and the weak. Second, he will do so “today”—not tomorrow nor yesterday but “today.” Men and women of good will want to sit up to listen carefully. The king has come not to oppress them but to fulfill their noblest desires. They must now do, as Mary said in last Sunday’s gospel, “whatever he tells you.”

Friday, January 24, 2025

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

(Hebrews 8:6-13; Mark3:13-19)

Mark, the evangelist, describes Jesus’ choosing his apostles with discretion and formality.  He summons not everyone who desires the office but those he wants.  He does not ordain them anywhere but on a mountain.  This arrangement indicates the importance of the apostles. They will not only preach the kingdom of God to the nations but also will form the framework of his Church. 

Today the church celebrates a man who was in the line of these apostles.  Francis de Sales was bishop of Geneva during the time of the Protestant Reformation.  Like all bishops, Francis was ordained in a direct line of succession from the apostles.  Again, as all bishops he was given the solemn duty of maintaining the faith of the apostles.  And like all others Francis provided the sacraments which Christ instituted to maintain a physical presence in his Church.

Francis is portrayed in descriptions of the saints as an affable man with a desire to reach out to those who left the Church and to uplift those who remained faithful Catholics.  It is said that his preaching converted many protestants while his book Introduction to the Devout Life deepened the spirituality of many laypersons.

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 7:25-8:6; Mark 3:7-12)

Catholics often pray to Mary as their chief intercessor.  Such a practice is valid, but there is an intercessor even greater than the Mother of God.  That is her son, Jesus.  Although not commonly considered as an intercessor, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews indicates as much when he calls Jesus a “high priest” in heaven.

The role of the priest is to offer sacrifice and to pray for the people.  Hebrews commends Jesus as the greatest priest for two reasons.  First, Jesus is without sin so that there is no need for him to pray for himself.  Second, he is at the right hand of the Father who sends the Holy Spirit in answer to prayer.

Then why not always pray to Jesus?  We might, but often we tire of praying to one person.  Also, some people are oriented so that it is easier to pray to a mother figure than to a brother figure.  In any case, prayer to Mary, the saints, or even asking another living person in the world to pray for us has a positive effect.  God loves us and wants to see us turn to Him in our needs.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

 Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

 (Hebrews 7:25-8:6; Mark 3:7-12)

Once a seminary professor was complaining to his class about the way they were praying.  “Why do you always say ‘just’ when you pray?” he asked.  “Why do you say, ‘We just want to thank you, Lord,” and “We just want to ask you, Lord.”  A student drummed up the courage to respond to the professor.  “Just is a word we used to express awe,” he told him.  “We don’t feel that we are on equal terms with God.  I suppose that when you are a seminary professor with a Ph.D., you can walk up to God and treat him like a pal.”

Perhaps some of us often lack a sense of awe in praying to God as well. God is so much greater than we that we might as well be fruit flies communicating with a whale.  What is remarkable – no, more than that, stupendous – is how much God wants to hear us.  He sent His Son to open communication lines with us.  It is as if for negotiations of the utmost importance, a president looks not to the Secretary of State but his own father, whom he trusts implicitly.

This is what the Letter to the Hebrews tells us today and over and over again.  Jesus Christ is not the ordinary high priest but a unique one.  He is akin to Melchizedek who makes a fleeting appearance in the Book of Genesis.  Jesus is the only one worth praying to because he has complete access to God.  He came from Him and has returned to Him.  Furthermore, Jesus knows our condition intimately.  He has walked in our shoes.  He has traveled our ways.  We must never stop entrusting our lives to him.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

 

Memorial of Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr

(Hebrews 6:10-20; Mark 2:23-28)

In today’s gospel we hear Jesus saying, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” Some may think this means that people can do as they please on Sunday.  But they would be mistaken.  Jesus uses the saying to defend his disciples who had to find something to eat on Sunday.  The Pharisees were criticizing them for picking grain when there was no prepared food to eat.

Made for human physical as well as spiritual welfare, Sunday first beckons all to worship God together in church.  Second, as a day of leisure, Sunday provides time to engage in other activities that uplift the soul.  People visit friends, or the poor.  Reading and recreation also comprise fitting Sunday activities.  St. John Paul II suggested observing nature on Sundays.

Too often we think of Sunday as time to catch up with our work.  Such activity is not necessarily forbidden, but it should be avoided as much as possible.  If we are to grow in Christ, we will get better acquainted with him by using Sundays for its acclaimed purposes.  After all, it is the Lord’s Day.

Monday, January, 20, 2025

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 2:18-22)

The Letter to the Hebrews recognizes Christ as both human and the Son of God.  But it realizes that this does not mean that the human Jesus always had consciousness of being Son of God.  Rather, as today’s reading from the letter shows, Jesus had to learn how to conform his will to God’s.  As for everyone else, it was not an easy lesson.

The passage speaks of Christ’s learning obedience, the conforming of one’s will to another’s, through suffering.  As the first three gospels testify, in the garden Jesus asked God to release him from the Passion he was about to endure.  Nevertheless, he submitted himself to God when he said, ”…not my will but yours be done.”  As might be expected, the result of trusting himself completely to God was his death blossoming into resurrection glory.

Today’s reading from Hebrews makes the point that the merit of Christ’s obedience accrues entirely to those who choose him as their priest.  Being sinless, he did not need redemption.  It is to our advantage, as well as to the addressees’ of this letter, that we continue to follow him.

Sunday, January 19, 2025

SECOND ORDINARY SUNDAY

(Isaiah 62:1-5; I Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11)

The gospel today is known, appreciated and unique. We do not have any other story of Jesus attending weddings, much less with his disciples and his mother. It is open to different interpretations. Some understand it as fixed on Mary as the great intercessor for all our needs. Others see it as a testimony of Jesus as a regular person who enjoys parties. Still others take advantage of the story to explore the religious dimensions of marriage. I would like to propose another way of reading this gospel. It is about marriage, but not in the sense of instructions for married people. Rather, it is about the marriage between God and his people or, for us Christians, the union between Christ and the Church. This seems to be the interpretation of the Church when it is linked to the reading from the prophet Isaiah.

The first reading comes from the third part of the Book of the Prophet. The context of the reading is Jerusalem shortly after the return of its exiles from Babylon. They have experienced the most serious trauma in their history to date. The entire city had been devastated along with the destruction of the Temple. Thousands of people were killed and thousands more deported. It seemed at the time that God had abandoned his people forever. But the prophet resists this conclusion. He says that the Lord loves his people and now, purified by suffering, promises to marry them forever. He assures his readers that once again Israel will shine with justice and manifest salvation.

The Gospel of John presents the fulfillment of this promise. Conveniently, it takes place in the context of a wedding. Jesus is there with his disciples and his mother. Mary can be said to serve as a matchmaker bringing Jesus to the people. Although the time to show the fullness of his love for the people has not yet come, Jesus now gives them a hint of this love. He turns the six jars of water into wine so that everyone is not only satisfied with its spirit but amazed at its quality.

To understand the meaning of the story, we have to be aware of the symbolism it carries. The lack of wine is a way of saying that the relationship between God and his people lacks vitality. Judaism has become formalistic with many rules but little holiness. The jars of water, which were used for purification rites, represent the meager efficacy of the law. Therefore, God has sent his Son to rectify the situation. The water turned into wine has two references. On one hand it represents the transformation from emptiness to joy that the people experience with the presence of God in their midst. Elsewhere, wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus that is to be shed for the salvation of the world.

In our time, many of us feel perplexed by the changes that are affecting us with increasing speed. Older people mourn the loss of virtues such as humility, chastity, and religiosity itself. Young people anguish over basic questions such as pursuing a career or having a family. Adults worry whether their resources will be sufficient to satisfy their hopes and desires. How will we proceed forward?

The answer the gospel offers is to hold firmly to Jesus. Since the last words say that “his disciples believed in him,” we should not withdraw our trust. By participation in the Eucharist, practicing Christian values, and collaborating with the community we can navigate our lives to the serenity we long for. He who changed water into wine will transform our anxieties into peace.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

(Hebrews 4:5-1-5.11; Mark 2:1-12)

The movie “The Miracle Club” describes the pilgrimage of a handful of Irish women to Lourdes.  Each woman to varying degrees has faith.  And each prays for a specific miracle.  In the end no one receives the miracle in the way she expected.  Yet each one’s life is altered so that it might be said that they did experience a miracle.  Something similar takes place in today’s gospel.

The four men bringing the paralytic to Jesus believe that he can enable him to walk.  They may be disappointed when they hear Jesus pronounce forgiveness.  They were looking for more visual healing.  If they have time to reflect, however, they may realize that they have received a miracle.  The paralytic is now able to enter the rest of the Lord, as the first reading puts it.

Miracles are more common than we imagine if we believe.  God is working with us, for us, and through us so that we too may enter His rest.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 3:7-14; Mark 1:40-45)

The term “banality of evil” was coined by the philosopher Hannah Arendt after World War II.  She used it to describe how war criminals like Adolph Eichmann could have taken part in atrocities like the Holocaust.  Her thesis is that many who do evil are not bad people with evil intentions.  Rather, they just do what is necessary to live comfortable lives like most people.  Arendt wrote that to combat evil people must ask themselves how their actions affect others and desist when they cause suffering or distress.

The reading from Hebrews today warns people to likewise be wary of the “banality of evil.” The message implies that going along with the crowd can create injustice and bring forth the wrath of God.  Saying that the people have become partners of Christ, it urges them not to abandon the one who has set them free from evil.

The reading’s lesson applies equally to us.  We too may follow the majority into a swamp.  Lying to receive added compensation is just one way people today participate in the “banality of evil.”  As the author of Hebrews recommends, we should remain faithful to Christ who forbids it.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:14-18; Mark 1:29-39))

In the 1940’s and 1950’s several priests in France set out early in the morning to work in factories.  Seeing that many laborers had stopped coming to church, these “worker-priests” decided to bring the gospel to them.  It became a contentious experiment, however.  Worker-priests supported union organizing, which was opposed by managers, who did go to church.  Eventually, the worker-priests were told by the hierarchy to leave their jobs.

The worker-priest movement might have found its inspiration in today’s first reading.  As Jesus Christ experienced the human condition, worker-priests worked side-by-side with laborers.  The reading is quite explicit.  Jesus was tried by suffering so that he might help others who suffer.  No doubt, worker-priests suffered as well.  They went to work before dawn when they might have slept until the hour of daily mass.  They also had to face rejection for their attempt to preach the gospel.

Suffering is part of every human life, but especially the Christian life.  Jesus tells his disciples to take up their cross and follow him.  He means that we are not to shun but to embrace suffering as a way of serving him.  When we are sick, we can bear with the discomfort as an offering to God for others’ sake.  When we are well but find it distasteful to visit the sick, we should not shirk that service. 

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:5-12; Mark 1:21-28)

The struggle between Jesus and Satan did not end in the desert.  With his minions Satan’s continues his spiritual battle.  In today’s gospel an unclean spirit has possession of a man in Jesus’ presence.  The demon makes a defiant charge: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?”  Then it attempts to control Jesus by revealing his name, “Holy One of God.”

Jesus, however, is unruffled by the verbal assault.  With a fierce shout he commands the evil spirit to leave the helpless victim.  The spirit obeys but not without hurting the man.  The compassion of Jesus in rescuing the possessed man and the evil of the possessor are manifest to all. Jesus is rightly commended for “teaching with authority.”

The struggle be Christ and Satan continues in each of our lives.  When we feel tempted to lie, steal, lust, or whatever, we need to call of Jesus.  He maintains the authority to keep the devil at bay.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 1:1-6; Mark 1:14-20)

 It is conventionally thought that the Letter to the Hebrews was written to dissuade Jewish Christians from giving up faith in Jesus.  Modern commentators, however, no longer think that it was a letter nor that it was necessarily written to Jewish Christians.  They will not dismiss the treatise on these accounts because it brilliantly defends the faith from popular criticism.

According to contemporary biblical critics, the work was written as a sermon to which the author added an epistolary ending.  As today’s passage shows, the author regularly contrasts old (“In times past, God spoke in partial and varied ways…) and new (“in these days, he spoke to us through the Son…”).  He then indicates the superiority of the new dispensation.

The Letter to the Hebrews presents what is called a “balanced Christology.” It shows how Christ is fully human and divine.  Because he is human, he knows our deep-seated needs for meaning and hope.  Because he is divine, he can provide supernatural help to transcend our desperation.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

(Isaiah 42:1-4.6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16.21-22)

There are different options for the first and second readings for Mass today. The ones we have heard emphasize the theme of mission. Together with the gospel, they give us a sense of the mission that Jesus Christ has carried out in the world.

The first reading comes from the first Servant Song found in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. We read all four Servant Songs during Holy Week because the anonymous servant prefigures the suffering Christ. The first song indicates that the servant will be a "light to the nations" by demonstrating God's justice. His mission, to do good for all without harming anyone, will bring peace to the world.

Today’s gospel emphasizes the presence of the Holy Spirit to Jesus after his baptism. He now has the means to fulfill Simeon’s prophecy made in the Temple after his birth that he will be a “light to the nations.” For the most part, but not completely, Jesus’ mission will be limited to the Jews. However, his disciples will carry his Spirit to all parts of the world.

The Acts of the Apostles tells of the beginning of missionary action to the world on the part of Christians. Today’s reading from Acts shows Peter preaching to Cornelius, a non-Jew, in Caesarea in northern Israel. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Peter has left Jerusalem to begin the mission to the Greeks. His message is peace among the nations through Jesus Christ who died for all.

We are baptized in the same Spirit that Jesus left to his disciples. We must ask ourselves what our mission is. To whom have we been sent? Certainly, we are not baptized simply so that we may attain eternal life. For it is precisely in fulfilling Jesus’ mission that we merit seeing the Kingdom of God. First, we are sent to our families and communities to teach them justice. Mothers who tell their children to always do the right thing, no matter what others do, are fulfilling Jesus' mission. Of course, our advice will prove hollow if we do not demonstrate justice in every one of our actions, even those unseen by anyone. In the film highlighting the life of St. Thomas More, the protagonist tells an ambitious young man that he would make an excellent teacher. Disappointed by the advice, the young man responds to More: “And who will notice my service?” The saint replies: “Your students, yourself, and God: not a bad audience.” By the way, More always did the right thing even to accept martyrdom for not assenting to a law proposing that the king is head of the Church in England.

It is quite possible that we will never have the opportunity to be foreign missionaries like St. Paul. But this does not mean that we do not have a mission. Living justice and teaching others how to do it is a necessary mission as is going to Africa to evangelize. Christ has given us the Holy Spirit so that we may fulfill it well.

Friday, January 10, 2025

Friday after Epiphany

(I John 5:5-13; Luke 5:12-13)

If faith is necessary to experience a miracle, the leper in today’s gospel easily qualifies for healing.  He does not doubt a bit Jesus’ power to heal.  “If you wish,” he tells Jesus with the confidence of a child appealing to his grandmother for a favor, “you can make me clean.”

Jesus’ willingness to help the leper is even more remarkable.  He might have kept his distance and pronounced a healing.  But he cares about the leper so much that he makes physical contact.  Not only is he risking contagion, he is also making himself ritually unclean.

Both the leper’s faith and Jesus’ compassion merit our attention and imitation.  Full trust in Jesus will bring us startling results.  Suffering with others will even more wonderfully mark us as heirs of heaven.

Thursday, January 9, 2025

Thursday after Epiphany

(I John 4:19-5:4; Luke 4:14-22)

Soon Donald Trump will become the forty-seventh president of the United States.  On Monday, January 20, he will take the oath of office and then give his inaugural address. In it he will tell the world of his hopes and plans for the country during the next four years.  In today’s gospel Jesus has just begun his public ministry.  He returns to Nazareth to give what amounts to an inaugural address.

By referring to himself as the prophet anointed by the Spirit of God, Jesus is saying that he is Israel’s long-awaited Messiah.  However, he is not going to do what most people expect of a messiah. He will not raise an army to force Rome out of Palestine.  Nor will he sit on a throne with servants waiting for his command.  Rather his messiahship will consist of raising the hearts of the poor and giving sight to the literally and figuratively blind.

We have chosen to follow Christ, whom we accept as the Messiah.  To be faithful to our choice, we should pursue the objectives he gives in the gospel.  In place of always seeking comfort, we should strive to comfort those who are dealing with great loss.  Instead of pursuing upward mobility, we should take time to help the lowly.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Wednesday after Epiphany

(I John 4:11-18; Mark 6:45-62)

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that in this life we come closer to God through love than through knowledge.  To approach God through love we should first recognize God’s selfless gift of His Son and the Son’s gift of Himself for our sake.  God’s love is perfect because it expects nothing in return.  Second, we must love one another; that is, to seek the good of the other even if we have to forfeit our own good.

Love makes us saints.  Recently it was announced that men who died as youths are to be canonized this April.  Carlo Acutis, an Italian born in 1991, went to daily mass out of love for Christ.  He talked about Christ in the Eucharist to practically everyone he met until his death at fifteen years of age.  Pier Giorgio Frassati, also an Italian, lived a hundred years ago.  He took an active interest in helping the poor and inspired others to holiness both before and after his death.

In our age many think of love as mutually satisfying desire for pleasure.  Love is not necessarily devoid of pleasure, but it extends beyond that.  As our love approaches God’s selfless giving, pleasure is superseded by joy which runs deeper and lasts longer.

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Tuesday after Epiphany

(I John 4:7-10; Mark 6:34-44)

Both structure and content make today’s gospel a reflection of the Eucharist.  Structurally, Jesus teaches the people before he feeds them.  So at mass the Word of God is read and commented upon before the Eucharistic meal is prepared. Content-wise, Jesus takes the little bread available and looks up to heaven as the Roman Canon says.  Then he blesses the bread, breaks it, and gives it to his disciples as he will do at the Last Supper.

Both the feeding of the five thousand in today’s gospel and the Last Supper anticipate the Messianic Banquet in heaven.  Alluded to in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah the Messianic Banquet will unite all the saints in a feast of food and a sharing of love.   

Hearing the gospel at the end of the Christmas season, we might remember Christmas dinner.  It could be the one of two weeks ago or perhaps a memorable Christmas of the past.  We were with loved ones, felt at peace with God, and not anxious about anything.  It was heaven come to earth for which we could think of no better way to respond than to give thanks.

Monday, January 6, 2025

Monday after Epiphany

(I John3:22-4:6; Matthew 4:12-17.23-25)

 A great corporation of an American city every year sponsors a festival of lights during the Christmas holidays.  It invites the public to its production center adorned with colored LED lights.  The lights do not dispel the darkness as much as they take advantage of it.  Because of the darkness, the brilliance of scores of thousands of lights is revealed.  In a similar way the darkness of the human condition allows the light of Jesus to be manifested.

 Today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew sees Isaiah’s prophecy of a great light in Galilee fulfilled in Jesus.  His ministry enkindles hope in people beset with misery.  The passage shows Jesus healing the pained, relieving the possessed, comforting the disturbed, and capacitating the paralyzed.  Jesus’ preaching further urges those ensconced in the darkness of sin to repent.  Finding the gentle glow of God’s mercy gives them freedom and joy.

 We have begun a new year.  It is time for us to start over in the quest for virtue.  We must rid ourselves of thoughts that belittle others.  We need to let go of our fears so that we might affirm those around us.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

The Epiphany of the Lord, January 5, 2025

(Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

Today’s Gospel is a gem cherished by all Christians. But before reflecting on it, I want to examine the first reading, which also summons our attention.

Catholics are quite familiar with the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. It appears often as the first reading at Sunday Mass, especially during the Advent and Christmas seasons. At the beginning of Advent, we always hear Isaiah proclaiming the hope of every nation. He offers a vision of the whole world streaming to Jerusalem to learn the ways of God. He says, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Is 2:3-4).

This same book informs us today that the inhabitants of Jerusalem have returned from exile in Babylon with a similar vision. “Nations shall walk by your light,” the book proclaims, “and kings by your shining radiance.” In other words, the people of Jerusalem will be like the lights of a harbor attracting the nations of the world to learn the ways of God. Today, Jews attempt to shine such a light by burning candles in the celebration of Hanukkah for eight days. Of course, the lighted candles symbolize their acts of charity.

Now we can better understand the significance of the star guiding the Magi in the Gospel. It represents the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy about nations coming to Jerusalem to learn how to live in peace. The star is the light that leads the Magi, representing the nations of the world, to Jerusalem. From there, they are directed to the child Jesus in Bethlehem. The sight of the child with his mother is enough to satisfy their longing for peace. Yet it will be the teachings and, above all, the works of Jesus as an adult that will bring about lasting peace, that is our eternal salvation.

Recently, one of the most widely read journalists in the United States wrote about his journey to Christ. David Brooks was raised in a Jewish family. As a young man, he practiced no religion but was not devoid of spiritual values. Then he experienced various moments of wonder and clarity—moments of light. One such moment occurred when he looked around on a subway and saw not just bodies, but souls infused with the divine spark. Later, in another moment of light, he grasped the paradoxical truth of Jesus' Beatitudes. It is the poor in spirit, those who recognize God as their Savior, that are truly blessed. It is those who can mourn with the sorrowful that will be comforted. Today, David Brooks cannot help but see Jesus as the light of the world.

The second reading reveals how Isaiah’s prophecy has been fulfilled in the world. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles to teach the Gospel to all nations. As a result, non-Jews (“Gentiles”), like the Jews in Jerusalem on Pentecost, have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord.

When we carefully examine Jesus’ teachings and deeds, it becomes difficult not to recognize Him as the light emanating from Jerusalem, uniting the world in peace. He provides us with the Holy Spirit, so that we may share in His divine life for all eternity. As people imbued with the divine, we can set aside swords and spears to build God’s Kingdom of love.

 

Friday, January 3, 2025

Christmas Weekday

(I John 2:29-3:6; John 1:29-34)

In a movie about the aftermath of War II a young German woman works for the American officer conducting an investigation.  She is the daughter of a German colonel who was executed for having attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler.  When Germans coming for an interview hear her last name, they ask if she was related to the colonel.  As soon as she answers that he was her father, they stop and acknowledge her father’s sacrifice. The colonel was held in high esteem for his courage.

A similar recognition takes place in today’s gospel. John, seeing Jesus coming his way, stops and pays him homage.  He calls Jesus “the Lamb of God,’ who will be sacrificed to “take away the sin of the world.”  Of course, he is the first human to recognize Jesus as the Son of God.  This is the Gospel of John.  In Luke’s gospel John is also the first human to recognize Jesus as  the Christ, but there he does so as an infant in his mother’s womb.

As important as the Incarnation is, it cannot be separated from the sacrifice Jesus will make on our behalf.  We also must stop to recognize who this newborn babe, who has brought us so much joy, is.  He is the one who will be crucified so that we might be freed of our sins.

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

(I John 2:22-28; John 1:19-28)

Parents may teach their children that they are not the most important people in the world.  But this lesson pales in value compared to the one that children are not even the most important person in their own lives.  With good intentions parents sometimes tell children the equivalent of airline stewards and stewardesses’ telling passengers to adjust their own oxygen mask before helping their child.  No doubt, that is good advice in an airline emergency, but it should not be used to justify everyone considering first one’s self-interest.

Both readings today advise that Christians should not consider themselves first.  They must always make God their priority.  The reading from John’s First Letter tells the reader to remain in Christ.  That is, he or she should realize that Christ overshadows the self.  Like the whole person is greater than a leg or arm, Christ is greater than the individual Christian.  The gospel shows John the Baptist testifying that he is not the long-expected Messiah.  Rather, he is no more than a bell or siren announcing Christ’s coming.

Today’s saints demonstrated the virtue of “Christ first.”  They were friends who developed such a great love for one another that each sought the other’s welfare more than his own.  Of course, as saints both sought Christ’s glory as the greatest value of life.